Stained Windows
by civilian-identities
Summary: Summary: There comes a time in life where our choices define who we are. For Jessica, that time has finally come. Spoilers for episode one of Supernatural and Breaking Dawn for the Twilight Saga.


**Summary: **There comes a time in life where our choices define who we are. For Jessica Stanley, that time has finally come.

**Warnings: **This is set post-_Breaking Dawn_ and during the pilot episode of _Supernatural_. So it's not too spoiler heavy for the latter, but do dread with caution if you're looking to get into the show. Also, this was written/posted a little over three years ago, so some of it (especially regarding Brady/_Supernatural_) is a little outdated. As far as triggers go, if you're remotely familiar with the pilot episode of _Supernatural_, then this should not be surprising, but do take that into consideration when reading.

**Disclaimer: **I, InkyPerspective, make no claims to own the rights to either _Supernatural _or the _Twilight _series. Nor do I have any desire to, as I am content with merely exploring the worlds and scenarios in which the characters reside in.

**One:**

"_People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within."_

– _**Elizabeth Kuble-Ross**_

Jessica Stanley sometimes wondered what her peers would think if they could truly see her now. They had always imagined her as the dumb blonde; the girl who could only ever aspire to be a simple home-maker, putting dinner on the table precisely at five o'clock. At that time, her husband (likely to be a retired jock, now working as an underpaid accountant or a gym coach) would arrive home with a half-hearted kiss and a grunt of exhaustion.

When the time came, in her senior year, to begin planning for the future, Jessica had panicked; it had never been something that Jess had really thought about as she was growing up. It had always been rather simple, really: She knew she would go to college one day and eventually get a job. Perhaps she would even get married and have 2.5 children if she was lucky. She knew that she wanted to accomplish _something _someday, but she hadn't really thought about the _how,_ the steps leading up to the final benchmark.

Her association with Bella Swan certainly did nothing to boost her confidence. Whenever the brunette glanced in her direction, judgment evident in her eyes, Jessica felt yet another blow to her ego. Bella had managed to secure a relationship with the "dreamiest" boy in the school without any real effort (unless you counted batting her eyes and almost being flattened by a van) and from her very first day at Forks High School, she had single handedly drawn the attention of every teenage boy within a twelve mile radius. Jessica's prom date included.

And Bella wondered why people hated her.

The girl had managed to swoop in, disrupting the entire balance of the small town. She had upset friendships (Jessica's lifelong friend Angela had almost completely thrown her to the birds when Bella arrived) and stability. For someone so pure and innocent, she sure looked at life from a very objective viewpoint: Jessica was seen as nothing more than a snobby ditz in her eyes – a nuisance.

Jessica accepted the critical judgment with a tight smile, vowing that she would chance the girl's opinion. She attempted to steer the judgment away, inviting Bella on numerous outings with her friends; friends who suddenly found Miss Swan far more interesting than fifteen years of close friendship.

It didn't work.

Bella found herself tied up in a rather (in Jessica's view) abusive relationship with Edward Cullen; distancing herself from her "petty and superficial" classmates in exchange for a good ole' dose of healthy isolation. Jessica wasn't sure whether to be offended or relieved.

When the Cullen's left, Bella collapsed in on herself, becoming a shell of who she used to be (which spoke volumes considering that, in Jessica's eyes, she had never had much of a personality to begin with). She claimed that Dr. Cullen had gotten a new job, requiring the family to relocate, but Jessica saw through the lie. If that were truly the case, Mr. and Mrs. Perfect, of all people, could have made a relationship work (long distance, anyone?). It was glaringly obvious that Bella had been dumped – a break-up apparently so bad, the guy's entire family had to pack up and move – and Jessica couldn't really bring herself to care.

When Cullen came back and Bella immediately jumped back into the relationship, dragging Angela along with her, Jessica finally grew fed up. She no longer wished to fit the mold of the stereotypical mean girl; she vowed that she would actually make something of her life.

Graduation rolled around and Jessica denied Bella's request to attend the party at the Cullen's house. For years she had longed to see the luxurious citadel that was the Cullen house, but no longer could she bring herself to care. She had her family (her older brother, Max, wanted to throw her a personal surprise party – a party no one would attend when faced with the alternative of the Cullen's) and a large envelope from Stanford.

Speech given, holding her diploma in hand, she marched her way off the campus, her shoulders back, her head up.

_"Hang on, Beck, I'll call you right back…" she said, stepping closer to the door._

_"Jess! Jess, wait! You don't –"_

_She ended the call and laid the phone down on the cluttered counter top, moving closer and closer until she was pulling the door open._

_"Brady? What're you doing here? I thought you had already moved out?"_

_"Sorry, Jess, but I'm having a bit of trouble with my engine and my cell phone's dead. Do you happen to have a phone I could borrow?"_

**Two:**

"_This is my wish for you: Comfort on difficult days, smiles when sadness intrudes, rainbows to follow the clouds, laughter to kiss your lips, sunsets to warm your heart, hugs when spirits sag, beauty for your eyes to see, friendships to brighten your being, faith so that you can believe, confidence for when you doubt, courage to know yourself, patience to accept the truth. Love to complete your life."_

– _**Anonymous**_

She first saw him in her Greek Mythology class. He looked uncomfortable, his massive body tucked into the small desk. He was ordinary in every sense of the word, but Jessica couldn't help but notice him.

A few weeks passed, the class ended, and he disappeared from her life. She didn't even know his name.

Her first run in with him was completely accidental. She was browsing through the aisles of the smallest (and cheapest) convenience store in Palo Alto. Money was tight and her minimum wage job wasn't cutting her finances by a long shot. Mom and Dad, back in Forks, were being forced to work overtime just to make ends meet as it was. They said they were happy to help, anything to fulfill their daughter's dream, but Jessica knew the truth. They had come down for Christmas and she had seen the gray streaks lining their hair, the additional wrinkles. She had hurriedly informed them that they didn't need to help pay for her tuition; financial aid was available and she could always tack on an additional job to help relieve the stress.

They had wholeheartedly informed her that they were happy to do it, that they would not allow her to be burdened by student loans upon graduation. They encouraged her to apply for more scholarships if she really wanted to help, but they assured her (quite frequently) that they could handle it.

They were wrong, but she had received a few scholarships; a few that greatly lifted some of the stress from her parents and herself. It certainly didn't mean, though, that she could spend freely.

Which was how she wound up in a hole in the wall convenience store, slamming into the boy from her Greek Mythology class. She had blushed, stammering apologies, and he had the nerve to laugh at her.

Laugh at her!

He held out his hand, introducing himself. ("I'm Sam.") Unable to contain the warmth that threatened to spill over her cheeks, she held out her hand, stammering an introduction. She had turned to walk away when he called her name, asking if maybe she wanted to get a coffee sometime.

Four months later, Jessica finally understood what love felt like.

_Smiling at his rambling, she handed him the phone she had been using. "Take your time," she said, moving out of the doorway. "Would you like something to eat? I just made some cookies – they're fresh out of the oven."_

_He grinned. "Yes, please. They smell absolutely delicious."_

_Unable to hide the blush blooming on her cheeks, she turned back to the counter, preparing him a plate when the door slammed shut. Jumping, she turned around, only to find Brady stepping closer._

_"Pretty Jessica… Pretty, pretty Jessica. It's really no surprise that Sammy chose you."_

_She took a step backwards, her body colliding harshly with the oven. "Ty?"_

_"I've known your boy Sammy for longer than you think, Jessie," he said, an eerie grin darkening his features. "He's quite the special boy; but you already know that, don't you? Those migraines he gets, they've got to be tough."_

_Sometimes Jessica forgot that wasn't in Forks anymore: Where everyone knew each other, crime was nonexistent, and your boyfriend's best friend wasn't actually a serial killer._

_"Get out of my house," she snarled. She could see the knife drawer behind him. She didn't think she'd be able to reach it…_

_"Aw, Jess, what's the harm of a simple visit from an old friend?"_

**Three:**

"_I don't know half of you as well as I'd like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."_

– _**J. R. R. Tolkien**_

"Jessica? Jessica Stanley?"

She looked up at the sound of her name being called, her brow wrinkling. She was sitting in a small diner in Forks, of all places, waiting for Sam to come pick her up. She and Sam Winchester had been dating for two years and she had _finally _managed to drag the man up to Washington to meet her parents. Sam had been a bit reluctant, claiming that he didn't have the best track record with parents (the unmentionable tension between his dad and brother being only a subtle hint) and didn't want a chance at potentially ruining their relationship.

She had won, though, in the end. They had been in forks for four days when her father had gotten his claws into the tanned skin of her boyfriend. Jess almost wished that she could have been there as her father and brother grilled her boyfriend as he became tangled in the fishing wire (Sam, despite his many talents, wasn't the most skilled fisherman to grace the city of Forks). He had called an hour ago, letting her know that they'd be done soon and, if you she'd like, he could pick her up and they could go have dinner.

Jess accepted the invitation enthusiastically; giving him the directions to the diner she was at. She assured him that she wanted a chance to finish studying for her Calculus exam and that he could take all the time he needed. She was long overdue for a little "me time," anyway.

"Um, yes?" she asked, marking her place with a napkin.

"Wow, it's certainly been a while, hasn't it?"

Jessica's eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the girl who had unintentionally encouraged her to make something more of her life.

Bella Swan looked even better than she had all those years ago. (Apparently age worked wonders on the pale.) Standing behind her was a little girl that looked to be eight years old and equally as pretty.

"Um, yeah, it's been… three years?" she said. "I thought you and the Cullens were packing up and leaving after the wedding. Or, at least, that's what Angela said."

Bella nodded emphatically. "We were going to, but you know, plans change. It just didn't feel right to leave Charlie all alone up here."

Ah, yes, Jess remembered all too well the other girls desire to "protect" Charlie. Jess remembered that during their high school days, Bella had always used her father, the police chief, as a clutch. It was always _"it would hurt Charlie" _or _"Charlie and I had plans_." The man was police chief, of all things; he certainly wasn't likely to crumble from the absence of his daughter, especially considering she was raised in a different state.

"But what are you doing here?" Bella asked. "I haven't seen you since graduation. Neither has Angela or Mike. They said you sort of just dropped off the face of the Earth."

Not that they would have been too worried if that _was_ actually the case.

"I just went to college," Jess replied, her voice level. She had spent years playing "nice" with Bella Swan. She imagined she was pretty rusty at it now, though.

"Oh, where'd you go?" Bella asked. "Mike and Ang went to Washington State, but they didn't mention seeing you…"

Jessica wasn't quite sure if the comment was intended to be offensive, but it struck a blow nonetheless. Did the other girl really think so little of her, that moving out of the state was incomprehensible?

"I went out of state," she said briskly. "I haven't talked to anyone up here for a while."

Bella nodded. "Do you mind if we sit?" She gestured to herself and the little girl. Jessica shrugged, moving aside her text books. "This is Nessie, Edward's niece."

Jessica smiled at the little girl who beamed back, causing the hair on the back of Jessica's neck to rise.

"Nice to meet you, Nessie. I'm Jess."

"Pleasure," the little girl said, brushing nonexistent wrinkles from her dress. The similarities between uncle and niece were rather disconcerting…

"So, what are you reading, Jess?" Bella asked.

"Calculus exam," Jessica answered. "Apparently it's a brilliant idea to schedule an exam on the day back from break. Not that I'm complaining, of course."

"Oh, so it's spring break?" Bella asked curiously. "It's hard to tell when the weather is perpetually rainy. How come you're not at the beach?"

"I get enough of the beach at home. Besides, mom and dad wanted to meet my boyfriend," she said, fiddling with the straw in her shake. "Plus Max got engaged a couple weeks ago, so it really just seemed like the best idea."

Bella nodded, grinning. "So, who's your boyfriend? Anyone that I would know?"

"I really doubt that. He's from Kansas."

Bella nodded, a small frown on her face. "So what're you majoring in?"

"Law," she said enthusiastically. "With a minor in psychology."

Bella's widened almost imperceptibly, and Jessica couldn't help but beam in pride.

"Jess!"

She looked up, her smile further expanding. "I'm sorry, Bella, I've got to go. I promised Sam I'd rescue him from the dreaded fishing trip," she said. Standing up, she waved her hand, drawing the attention of her massive (but positively adorable) boyfriend. "Sam, this is Bella. We used to go to school together."

Bella smiled, tilting her head up to greet him. Bella had always been short, but compared to Sam's 6'4" height, she was nothing more than a mouse. If it wasn't for the fact that Sam was so completely _harmless_, she was sure it would probably be intimidating.

"Pleasure, to meet you," he said. But he didn't shake her hand, only eyed it distrustfully. The action seemed to offend Bella, but Jess just shrugged his behavior off. It was typical Sam; he couldn't hurt a fly, but, when he had one of his "feelings," it was best to steer clear. "You ready to go, Jess? There's a movie playing in Port Angeles that I think you'd like. We've got to go now, though, if we're going to make it on time."

"Yeah, let me just grab my stuff," she said, standing on her toes to kiss his cheek. She watched, a smile on her face, as he exited the same restaurant, before turning to her former classmate.

"It was nice seeing you again, Bella," she said, surprised to find it was not quite a lie. Well, not entirely.

"You too, Jess! We really have to stay in contact this time. Do you want my email address?"

Jessica thought about it for a moment before shaking her head. "I'll see you next time we come to visit. Mom and dad's anniversary is coming up; I'm sure I'll see you then."

Bella nodded.

"Bye Nessie. Say hello to your uncle for me," she said. "I'll see you 'round, Bella."

_"Get away from me!" she shouted. Perhaps the neighbors would hear her and come to her rescue..._

_"Now, now, Jessica, don't raise your voice at me. Didn't anyone ever teach you to respect your elders?"_

_Taking the plunge, she lunged towards the knife drawer, pulling out the largest, sharpest knife she could reach._

_He was faster._

**Four:**

"_Time takes it all, whether you want it to or not. Time takes it all, time bears it away, and in the end, there is only darkness. Sometimes we find others in that darkness, and sometimes we lose them there again."_

– _**Stephen King, **_**"The Green Mile"**

The day Jessica Stanley returned to Forks, it was raining. The rain had always been a constant presence in Forks, but for some reason, Bella knew that there was something different about it today. Something significant.

She had been driving down the streets when she saw the Impala pull into the Stanley's driveway. Living with the Cullens, especially Rosalie, who were a bit obsessed with cars, had taught Bella a thing or two, and she was absolutely certain she did not recognize the older model.

She watched as a handsome man climbed out of the car, dressed in a cheap suit. On the passenger side, though, a familiar man climbed out. Bella remembered him as Jessica's boyfriend – the tall, handsome one. She remembered that she had been so happy for her old friend, and, though she'd never admit it out loud, a little jealous. The man had obviously adored her and they would be given the opportunity to grow old together, something that Bella would never be allowed to do. Bella had made her decision, had accepted it for what it was, but seeing a love that deep, a relationship so _normal_… Well, it almost broke her heart.

Bella watched as the shorter man placed his hand on Jessica's boyfriend's shoulder, steering the somber man into the small house.

She stopped the car.

Something was wrong.

Bella liked to think that she had grown rather perceptive in her days of immortality, and the look on their faces, the cars in the driveway…

Before she realized what she was doing, she was raising her hand to knock on the door. Mr. Stanley pulled it open, her face beholding such utter grief, she felt as though her silenced heart might just snap. He frowned upon seeing her, but pulled the door open wider, retreating back into the house.

There were multiple people gathered in the living room, all wearing black. One girl, about Jessica's age, was perched on the stairs, her face buried in her hands. Unsure of what to do (vampire or not, Bella had never been particularly skilled in social situations), she made her way over to the girl.

"Did you know her?" Bella looked down, her eyes widened in shock.

"Excuse me?" she asked.

"Jess. Did you know?" the girl said. Bella felt the unnecessary air leave her lungs, as though she had been punched in the guy.

"I… I, went to school with her," she said softly. Jessica Stanley, the girl who could not be silenced was… dead. Bella had never been forced to face death before. Her grandparents were still alive and well, her parents perfectly healthy. Even now, she faced a life of immortality, never having to greet death head on. This was the first funeral Bella had ever attended and it was for Jessica. Jessica, her first friend in Forks High School. The girl she had seen so happy in the arms of her boyfriend only a few mere months ago. "Did you?"

The girl nodded, tears streaming down her face. "We were roommates our freshman year. She, she was my best friend."

Though Bella did not physically need to sit, she felt as though she should. The girl was in obvious need of comfort and Bella would not deny her that, even if she was a hard, cold rock.

"I'm Becky," the girl sniffed.

"Bella," she responded, handing the girl a Kleenex off the table beside her. "What happened? How did…"

"Sam, her boyfriend, had gone on some road trip with his brother. It had sort of upset Jess, you know? See, Sam never talked much about his family; she just knew there was some bad blood between him and his dad. And Sam had just passed his LSATs – God that boy's smart. They were going to celebrate that weekend, maybe go to the beach. But Dean, his brother, shows up. Jess said there was some drama and Sam really didn't want to go, but he heads out anyway, off to bail his deadbeat of a dad out of trouble. Jess starts getting nervous, though, 'cause Sam's got this major interview the next day: His entire future's on the line!

"So she calls me up and we talk for a while. She's bakin' him cookies and stuff and then someone shows up at the door. It's this guy Brady, who Jess_knew _was a creep, but she gets off the phone anyway. I tried to stop her, I really did!" Becky explained, blowing her nose. "But he was Sam's friend, and that must make him a good guy. Next thing I know, I'm getting a call from my brother saying that Sam just got home and found Jess pinned to the ceiling, of all places, before a fire burned down the entire building. Apparently Sam would've gone up in flames, too, if his brother hadn't grabbed him before it was too late."

Bella stared at the girl, her mouth wide open. "You mean Jessica was _murdered_?"

"I don't know. Sam seems to think so. I just don't know though; the guy's pretty inconsolable, he's not really thinking rationally. Understandably. He was going to propose this weekend, you know," Becky said.

"Do you know where he is? I'd like to talk to him, if you don't mind…"

The girl pointed towards the kitchen. "Last I saw, he was in there with his brother. Sam's really tall, you can't miss him."

Bella made her way through the crowd of people, many of whom were unfamiliar. When she finally entered the kitchen, she was relieved to find that it was only the tall man, Sam.

"Do you really think she was murdered?"

He turned around, allowing Bella to get a good look of him. He looked exhausted, his eyes red and puffy, with purple shadows beneath them. He was tall, almost as tall as Jake, but his shoulders were slouched in defeat. He looked like someone who had been ran through Hell and back.

"Fires happen all the time," he mumbled, his gaze directed at the floor.

"That's not what Becky said," she said, moving closer to him.

His eyes narrowed. "I remember you; you're the one she talked to at that diner."

She nodded. "We were friends back in high school. You know, she never told me, where'd you two meet?"

"Stanford," he said. "She was the most brilliant girl I've met."

"Stanford?" She hadn't meant to sound so critical, but the man quickly picked up on it.

"She was brilliant. She always doubted herself though, said that no one ever thought she'd be good enough to get in. Oh, but she proved them wrong," he said, his tone wistful.

Bella stepped closer, moving to put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'm so sorry for your –"

He jerked away from the contact, his eyes narrowed hatefully. "Get the hell away from here, leech," he snarled.

Bella had never felt as dumbfounded. "Excuse me?"

"You have no right to be here," he snapped angrily. "Get out! _Get out! GET OUT!"_

__"I don't know what you're talking about…"

"GET OUT!" he roared. Stumbling backwards, she exited the kitchen, hurrying back to her car.

She could still hear his sobs as she drove away.

_With a flick of his finger, the knife in her hands turned on her, slashing her stomach wide open. With a scream of horror and pain, she felt her body slam into the wall and begin inching up it. The pain was so intense, so unimaginable, that, for a moment, she thought she was hallucinating. That somehow this was just a horrific nightmare and, in a few seconds, she would wake in Sam's comforting arms. After all, dreams really only lasted seconds, at most. This _couldn't_ be real._

_When she reached the center of the room, hovering directly over the bed, Brady spoke._

_"You're quite the pastry chef, Miss Jessica. Sammy was a lucky boy," he said, dark eyes glinting maniacally._

_"Why are you doing this to me?" she whispered._

_"It's nothing personal, dear. Just a little unsettled business between myself and your boyfriend. Nothing to worry about. He hasn't been feeling very motivated lately, and it's high time that I kicked him into gear. You, my dear, are helping with that."_

_She bit her lip, barely containing a cream, as her night gown grazed the cut on her stomach._

_"I'm sorry it had to end this way, sweetheart, but Sammy really should've known better. There's no such thing as a normal life for people like him. Really, you should just blame him."_

_But Jessica couldn't bring herself to blame Sam. He was her everything. She would die a hundred times over if meant he could live to see another day in return. He was her best friend, her lover, and she would _never _regret it._

_And so she watched as Brady departed the building, cackling merrily as he shut the door. She waited in agony as the hours passed, unable to scream for help. When she heard the door slam and her name on the lips of the man she loved, she felt her heart leap with hope. Maybe, just maybe, he would be able to save her._

_She was unable to speak as he deposited himself onto their bed, one of her cookies in his mouth. He looked so peaceful down there that on a subconscious level, Jess didn't dare disturb his tranquility. She watched helplessly as his eyes snapped open when some of her blood dripped onto his handsome face. She watched as those beautiful hazel eyes widened in horror._

_His mouth contorted in terror, desperately shouting her name, and Jessica could only watch. She smelt the burning of flesh before she felt it, and she was filled with an overwhelming sense of relief as his brother burst into the room, grabbing Sam as the room burst into flames._

_As she burned on that ceiling, above the bed she had shared with the man she loved, she could not bring herself to regret anything._

**Author's Note: **The main reason I wanted to write this was the lack of Jessica's (from _Twillight)_ involvement in the series. For me, Jessica was my favorite character because she represented normality. Bella saw this as wrong and shallow, but, at its very core, it's oh so very human. To any mega-_Twilight _fans (and, upon updating this nearly three years later, I wonder how many of you are even out there?), this was not intended to necessarily bash the characters or the series, but rather explore a character that was never given an opportunity to develop. As far as _Supernatural_ goes, I love examining Sam's Stanford days and his relationship with Jess, so I just had to write something about it, and well, here we are.

Please review if you're so inclined, but you should definitely check me out on tumblr. I'm inkyperspective, and would love to chat.


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